There is one common thread between the Devils and their nemesis. The man who was largely responsible for building the Devils into a perennial contender is now doing the same thing for the Senators.

For 10 years, Marshall Johnston was the Devils’ player personnel director, responsible for the drafting of Martin Brodeur, Scott Niedermayer, Brian Rolston, Bill Guerin, Brendan Shanahan, Kirk Muller, Sean Burke and a host of others.

In his place as Senators’ director of player personnel since July, 1996, the 56-year-old Johnston says he is operating differently for Ottawa than he did for New Jersey.

“We’re building here with the highest skill level we can get, then we surround them with a supporting cast,” Johnston said. “We don’t throw a lot of toughness at people. But our team competitiveness is pretty good, and it offsets that.

“People might try to hit us, but to hit ’em, you’ve gotta catch ’em.”

The Devils had been having terrible trouble doing that. They entered last night’s season finale against the Senators at the Meadowlands having lost the first three meetings between the teams by a 13-4 combined score. And the Devils were trying to avenge last year’s six-game playoff upset at the hands of the Senators, one of the low points in franchise history.

In New Jersey, Johnston had always sought a blend of size, strength and skill. Now, the Senators are among the teams leading the NHL’s shift toward finesse.

“The skill is always a priority,” Johnston said. “When the skill isn’t there, you look for other things to complement it. If the hands aren’t there, maybe the feet are. But the first thing is skill, and character is in there, too.”

Johnston doesn’t dismiss other teams that have somewhat differing priorities.

“Sometimes, being different is the strength of an organization,” Johnston said. “It is an open forum.”

Johnston played seven years in the NHL, mostly with the California Golden Seals, and he coached those Seals in 1974-75. He went back to the University of Denver, joining the Colorado Rockies as an assistant coach in 1981, and completing the Rockies’ final 56 games as head coach, before the team moved to New Jersey.

With the Devils, Johnston served as assistant to Billy MacMillan, and became the player personnel director in 1983, a position he held until leaving in 1993 to form a scouting combine. He returned to the NHL with the Islanders in 1995, then joined the Senators the next year.

“For me, hockey has always been a game of speed and skill. Skating is a very important quality, but you have to be prepared to break that rule if you think there is another asset a guy has,” Johnston said. “You can’t have rules, only guidelines. If you write off a guy because of his skating, you might miss something special.”

The Senators don’t seem to have many bad skaters, and Johnston’s first draft brought Marian Hossa, who is making an impact now that he is healthy.

“We have three decent lines now, and the fourth does what they have to do,” Johnston said. “I’d say Pierre Gauthier is responsible for most of what has happened good in the last three years. Rick Dudley is continuing the same way.”

With a young nucleus, the Senators would seem to be a force for a while, although Johnston says that could change.

“There are economic guidelines, and we do have players coming up for contracts,” Johnston said.

And the Senators are in a small market, earning discounted Canadian dollars. Their continued success will require a regular turnover of players, in the manner of Edmonton. Johnston will be responsible for providing the talent. *

Devils visit Bruins tomorrow … Patrik Elias was to return to the lineup after missing five games with the flu … Devils had won two straight, but were 4-5-1 in 10 … Sens were 9-1-2 in January, and unbeaten in seven (6-0-1) on the road. They were seeking to match their franchise record road-winning streak of five.